R.M.B

I would suspect that you are running this in XP (Not Vista or '7) and you have a proxy for accessing the Web... There is a problem with the inmplementation of Java on XP where it does not not correctly use the Proxy as set up for Internet Explorer - so IE works fine, but the Java fails to get to the relevant website because iot cannot get there. When you have Java running (unless you have hidden it) you have an icon for it in the bottom right - it has a menu which includes an option to set the proxy used by Java. Yoyu need to set the proxy to be the same as is used by IE - then it works. I have seen this on several 'Java based' educational applications. The 'powers that be' have decided that they are not going to fix this problem in XP - we have to 'live with it' All the above may be a 'Red Herring' but might be useful!

I would suggest that you look at a USB powered 'Vac Cannot remember the version we have in the office, but I doubt that there is realy much to choose betwen them... An example would be [ame=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mini-Vacuum-Cleaner-Your-Laptop/dp/B000Q02I7C]Mini USB Vacuum Cleaner for Your Laptop / PC: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo[/ame]

To fully remove a failed install you need MSIZAP (which is free from Microsoft) - just do a web-search. By default it is interactive, but it actually runs (twice) a dos program with a paramater that includes the GUID of the installation to be wiped. If you can get the parameters, you can get to run it as a batch run (and therefore have it run on a set of machines. Never known it to have a problem.

If you run robocopy from a DOS box it will give you all the parameter options that it can take. It will then let you do what you want.. ROBOCOPY /? You will want something like - ROBOCOPY sourcedir destdir *.avi /mov This will move only avi files.

Probably the simplest way to get a complete list is to download 'Autoruns' from SysInternals (now part of Microsoft - just find them by searching for 'SysInternals') - it will show you what is set to autorun on the system from all the possible locations (there are lots!)

Our network lock-down means that we just set the shortcut in the Startmenu to be 'Hidden' (or not) A simple script can make it immediately appear or disappear from the 'All Users' startmenu on a group of machines.

I dont know if it is possible in OpenOffice (never looked!) but I have an AUTONEW macro in word - it is run when a new document is created. It runs the SAVEAS command - the the brandnew (empty) document is named and saved before it is even used. Put the macro into everyones NORMAL.DOT - should do it

ICT Technician ICT Technician Grade: Hampshire D Salary: £17,634 – £20,442Contract: 52 weeks a year Closing Date: 24th October 2008 Yateley School is a large comprehensive school with over 400 networked computers and we need another ICT Technician to join our dedicated, hardworking team as soon as possible. Applicants will need to have technical expertise in Windows XP, 2003 Server, Active Directory, TCP/IP and Website Programming would be advantageous.Good communication and interpersonal skills are essential as the successful candidate will be dealing directly with teachers, administration staff and pupils. The successful candidate will become a member of the index-linked Local Government Pension scheme and have access to the school’s on-site Health and Fitness Gym, swimming pool, Nursery and other facilities. If you feel you have the relevant ICT skills, have a flexible approach to working, could contribute to and enhance our team and would like to know more, please contact: Debbie Brown at Yateley School, School Lane, Yateley GU46 6NWTel.01252 879222 or email [email protected] Yateley School and Hampshire County Council are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. All successful candidates will be subject to Criminal Records Bureau checks along with other relevant employment checks. Address: School Lane, Yateley, Hampshire, GU46 6NW Telephone number:01252 879222 Closing date: 24 October 2008

Rather than something that staff have to remomber to set, how about using a pac file to set the proxy? Something like to following could be used so that the user does not have to do anything.. Pac File - function FindProxyForURL(url, host) { i = myIpAddress() /* get ipaddress of PC */ /* If in School Local Subnet - Use Local Proxy */ if (isInNet(i,"1.2.3.0","255.255.255.0")) { return "PROXY 192.168.1.1:8080"; } return "DIRECT"; } End of file. The above needs to be changed so that the isInNet has the appropriate address and mask for the school network so that it can tell if address 'i' is in school. The 192.168.1.1 becomes the school proxy address, and the 8080 the port number. If not is school, the browser will use 'DIRECT' - ie no proxy. The above could be extended to multiple proxies for multiple address ranges. To use the proxy it must be specified in the LAN Settings as an Automatic Configuration Script. It should have the syntax file://c:\dir\proxy.pac which says it is a file with the relevent filepath. Hope that is useful

If you want a quick, easy to setup web-based Helpdesk, you could worse than use Liberum (Liberum Help Desk). It will link to an snmtp server and send e-mail through it (any server will do). Fault reports are entered and updated through its own webpages.

kilo actually means 1000 - think kilometre = 1000 metres etc. Specifically in computing you get the 1024 because of binary - put 1024 and 1000 into binary and you can then see how the bits in a binary counter make using 1024 easier to work with. Also... In binary 10110 = 1x16 + 0x8 + 1x4 + 1x2 + 0x1 therefore 16+4+2 = 22 not 24! If you want an easy way to chech binary, use the Windows calculator (in scientific mode) - it will let you enter numbers and translate them between Hex, decimal, octal and binary.

87.239.16.35

You might find the APC sizing tool useful - UPS Selector Sizing Applications It is intended to size a suitable UPS (APC of course!) - but is is still useful to get total power requirements, just tell it when kit you want to power (including disks etc)

We used to block the internet for individual pupils who misbehaved - but it ended up getting too silly.. We were constantly being asked to enable access for pupils that were blocked at the request of other teachers. We raised the possibility of a Whitelist - but as expected it was deemed too difficult even before getting to the point of being formally proposed and having staff provide their input. The last straw was when we were asked by one teacher to block a pupil - but not until the end of their lesson since the 'troublemaker' was being kept quiet playing games on the Internet. My comments to the Head resulted in a long discussion among the SMT / SLT. In the end teachers were told that they should not ask for pupils to be blocked from the Internet. Teachers were told they should handle discipline in their classrooms, not expect Support to get involved. If we identify a problem, we can either inform the teacher, or if we choose, take it to someone more senior. Misuse of a computer should be handled in the same way as misuse of a book - teachers would not call the Librarian and ask for a ban on using the library, so why should they ban use of the Internet? More serious issues should still come to us, and we then ban a pupil while the issue is handled by 'Senior Management' - the expectation is that this would be sufficiently serious that it would lead to interviews with parents and/or suspension. Have to say that since we made this change, our lives have been (a little) quieter, and overall even the teachers seem to approve! Although almost unused, we still have the capability to allow access only to our 'internal' sites - the nearest we have to a whitelist.

We have been running the whole school on VM-Server on top of Windows 2003 for the last two years, and have experimented with various options as to how to manage the environment.... Our preferred option is to keep the size of the VM files as small as is possible -just the systems' 'C' drive. The VMs connect using iSCSI to their data drive(s), which we backup using the 'normal' windows backup tools. Using the standard commandline management of the VMs we have a schduled entry on the (physical) servers that takes a VM down, copies it VM files locally as a backup, restarts the VM, and then copies and deletes the backup copy of the VM from the local disk to our SAN. This means that the VM is down for a minimum amount of time (we do not care over-much about the time it takes to copy from loal to SAN). We have also tried running the VMs directly off the SAN, and have seen no obvious difference in performance while running - but the above backup approach takes longer due to the copy being over the network. FYI Even though we have been running the above for the last two years, and consider it to have been a success, we have just invested in VI3 (even though Hyper-V is now available). I have been getting advice from VMware (their UK HQ is just down the road) - given the size of our data drives their recommendation is for us to have the data within the VM rather than as separate data drives. This is because of the additional functionality for backing up VMs that we will have with VI3.

Think of FreeSat as being Sky without having to pay monthly - same technology, same requirements (just a different selection of channels). Sky+ needs two cables back to a Dual-LNB so that it can receive two channels at once, so would a FreeSat PVR ( or two Sky / FreeSat boxes) If (like me) you want two PVRs you need a Quad-LNB and four cables (two for each box)

I do not have ISA, and receive updates from WSUS through HantsNet no problem - even received some updates today. Must be ISA related?

According to 'The Register' they have gone bust. See http://www.chnnelregister.co.uk/2007/11/29/school_laptops_administrators Over to the manufacturer?

We no longer have this problem... All our laptops have a PAC file defined as the source of their proxy settings. In the pac file, I have specified that it test the ip range of its own address - if it is in the range that we use in school - we use the school proxy Otherwise it is set to direct. This works for the laptop I am currently using, and for all the staff laptops we maintain. I am still waiting for someone to turn up wanting a third option - a proxy at home, another school or whatever.... Sine the laptops are in an OU in school, I have set it up so that the pac file can be updated when they connect to school - not yet needed, but just in case!

Its a long battle,but.. We are trying to enforce the use of e-mail (and the VLE) by ensuring that all information that THEY WANT is only available by these methods... If someone wants a specific question answered, then I reply by e-mail. If the information is something I think others may be interested in, then I e-mail that the information is in our 'How to' area in the VLE (if necessary writing it before replying!). If it is a one-off, then I reply by e-mail. When someone complains about no answer, I say 'but I sent you a reply days ago by e-mail' Now, if I want something... might have to play safe and use the dredded memo Maybe one day the Head will actually tell staff that they MUST use e-mail (and even log into the VLE) Sorry but the local squadrons of pigs fly without lights - so I cannot report that one is passing over at this time.

Rather a lot of staff have got used to me saying 'I hope to move us into the 20th century very soon - the 21st will arrive as soon as possible thereafter...' Having had over 30 years in system support (mostly in business) the one thing that I am still having a little difficulty in having accepted is that 'Insufficient Information' is a very suitable closure to a problem description - whether submitted verbally, by memo, or electronically. If a teacher cannot be bothered to tell me on which machine(s) in a classroom they saw the problem, then I why should I be bothered to check all of them! The next closure to remember is 'Close Related xxx' - just to keep the number of open calls down. Keep the original call open, repeats get closed immediately. When in business, I had fewer (newer) machines to support, more competent users (and I am considering the teachers, not the pupils), and more and better formally trained staff. I am sure that this is not abnormal. Given the situation, be brave - tell everyone (as I do) that we are proud of the quality of support provided by the support team, and that if only the teaching staff could do their bit by accurately reporting the problems they encounter, then everyone would benefit. We use Liberum - after a year, we finally receive as many reports electronically as we do on paper. I make it clear that we log every support issue in this system - if the user does not enter it, then we will do it on their behalf. If this slows our fixing the problem, so be it -they can help by entering it themselves rather than expecting us to do it. If it is not in the system, then it does not exist, if users want to ensure that problems are fixed, they must ensure that it is actually in the system! (Not on a scrap on paper somewhere) In September I ensured we had e-mail for all staff (over 50% had not) - now we have to persuade them to actually use it! Sorry if this sems like a rant, but procedures MUST be established and followed - otherwise all sorts of claims and counter-claims can ensue.

Just a thought (although I may be showng my age).... When I was young, we could get a little 'add-on' to our bikes - it sensed the speed of the wheel turning and emitted an engine sound with a pitch depending on the speed - we could then image we were on a high-powered motorbike... How about a modern equivalent - tied to the processor utilisation? Maybe its time for another beer...

Hi Lithium You can deploy Adobe CS3 using Group Policy - here is how I have done it... First I needed to be able to avoid using UNCs (\\name) - the install routine fails if you try this. So I made a temporary network drive (z:) that pointed to the Adobe CS3 subdirectory of the image of the CD on my server. I ran - z:\Setup.exe --mode=Silent --deploymentFile="z:\install.xml" In the same directory as the install.xml is the application.xml.override file. It is worth trying a manual interactive deploy on a machine first because the install routines does not log any useful failure reasons. Things to beware of 1) The install checks the screen resolution - it WILL FAIL if it is less than 1024x768 2) The install checks for memory - you need a minimum of 384Mb 3) The install checks for Disk - you need at least 4.4Gb free on c: 4) It takes a very long time - You need to ensure that Group Policy does not time out. I ended up setting the timeout to 30 minutes!! (Even on new high spec systems with Gb network) Hope that helps.

Nearly all my workstations use WOL to start in the morning. As part of the startup process they all run a batch file that runs DEFRAG. Since it is done so often, even the oldest machines (purchased in the year 2000) complete this in under 10 minutes. All my servers run a similar process over the weekend. This does not have any visible effect on the 7x24 web service we provide. I have downloaded the free tool from Diskeeper which is supposed to show that I need to purchase their product - and have runn it several times on several systems (both 'random' workstations and servers). In all cases it has shows that my systems would not benefit from defragmentation.